This invention relates to devices for collecting and electronically distributing information relating to the activity in a realty lock box.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,637 (Falk) discloses a lock mechanism in a housing with an electronic decoder and detector for receiving power from a separate electromechanical device. The electromechanical device has a battery for powering both the electronic decoder and lock-release mechanism with a keypad to actuate the mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,780 (Clark) discloses an electronic entry system including a case and a container carried by the case. A mechanism is carried by the case and the container is moveable between the container retaining and container access positions. An electromagnetic latch mechanism is carried in the case. A power supply and circuitry is used to connect the power supply to the electromagnetic latch mechanism. A code-actuated assembly is carried by the case and connected to the circuitry to operate the electromagnetic latch mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,556 (Imran) discloses a circuit for changing a high voltage to a low voltage power source for energizing a low voltage solenoid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,255 (Imran) also discloses an electronic access card, which has a printed circuit board, microprocessor, keyboard, and a visual display for displaying information carried in the microprocessor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,652 (Imran) describes a lock box for use with a D.C. power source which has a housing and a movable key container mounted in the housing. Circuitry is provided to control the movement of the key container between accessible and inaccessible positions through use of an access card.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,115 (Imran et al.) discloses an electronic access card with a printed circuit board with a battery and a microprocessor on the board. A number of keys are carried by the board. The card is adapted to be used in a lock box of the type used in the real estate industry for providing a secure location for a house key.
It has become a common practice in the real estate industry for realtors to place a lock box on a house or another piece of property for sale that contains a key to the property. Access to this key is frequently obtained by a real estate agent using an electronic key to open the lock box to obtain the key. This type of lock box is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,637 (Falk). This type of lock box stores certain data, such as the number of the electronic key, the time and date of entry. This information can later be downloaded at a central terminal for a small number of entries. Unfortunately, there is no easy method of instantly obtaining this data that is very valuable to a sting realtor and to a showing realtor in conducting their business. By the time the lock box is taken to a central location for downloading, or a computer for downloading is taken to the lock box, the information contained usually has little commercial value. A lock box cannot be easily modified to electronically transfer the data stored because the lock box contains no battery. The battery is contained in the access key pad module which powers the decoder solenoid which activates the hasp holding the box in place.
It is an object of this invention to develop a system for contemporaneously transferring the information being stored in a lock box as to the time and date of entry and the real estate agent entering the premises.
It is a further object of this invention to modify the existing lock boxes so that the information being stored can be contemporaneously transferred without the necessity of placing a battery in the lock box although use of a battery is not excluded.
It is another object of this invention to collect the information being stored in the lock box and transmit the information to a central site for processing on a computer for distribution to persons interested in this information.
It is another object of this invention to combine the modifications to the existing technology into a new product that incorporates the improvements described herein.
This invention consists of the addition of a wireless radio link to a lock box to transfer the data obtained from the access key pad to a nearby receiver which sends the data to a central site computer. The collector-transmitter unit is installed in the lock box to intercept the exchange of information between the key pad and the lock box and transmit this data by radio to a nearby receiver unit. This receiver unit includes a microprocessor and access to a telemetry land service, land line telephone, cellular or other wireless means of communication. The receiver may be designed to either initiate or answer a request for data transfer with the central site computer. Each receiver has a unique identifier code that is transmitted with the lock box data so the central site computer may determine the location of the receiver and hence the property address. The data transmitted from the lock box through the transmitter includes the agent number and time and date of entry into the lock box.
The central site computer can gather the data from many different locations which can be compiled into a timely data base of activity at the entry system locations. If the receivers have two way communication ability with the central site computer, the computer may poll all the remote receivers on an hourly, daily, or demand basis.
The central site computer can be accessed by multiple users to remotely obtain data that is currently only stored in the lock box. This data showing activity on a property is very valuable commercial information that can be provided to potential sellers, buyers, and listing agents on a fee basis. The value of this information is directly related to its timeliness which is the primary benefit of this invention. For example, a seller may ask a high price, accept an offer, or wait for a better offer when he or she is aware of the showing activity of the property. Likewise, a buyer may vary the offer based upon the showing activity and agents may alter their sales strategy based upon the showing activity of a property or properties in a given area.
The lock box is the central repository of this information in that it is necessary to access the lock box to obtain a key to gain entry to the property and the lock box can only be opened by a sales agent with a battery powered keypad entry system and the lock box stores in memory the time, date and agent code for the last approximately ten (10) visits by agents. The enhancements may also be implemented using the widely available cellular telephones and paging systems to effectively implement telephones and paging systems to effectively implement the concept of using a wireless network to gain access to property to be sold and gather information on selling activity. The keypad with battery currently used to authorize the access code and release the key retention mechanism is replaced with a pager with battery, thus incorporating a direct radio link to the central site computer. The agent inserts the new pager with battery into the lock box in lieu of a keypad with battery. Using a telephone, cellular or land-line, the agent calls the central computer and enters, either from the phone keypad or vocally, the agent""s identifier code and the lock box identifier code. The telephone can be incorporated into the pager keypad. After verifying the codes, the central site computer transmits directly to the pager inserted in the lock box a command to release the key. To enhance security, two-way pager technology may be included to transmit back to the central site computer an identifier code from the lock box to identify the lock box and also verify that the lock box opened. An alternate implementation is to use a pager in one-way mode, where the pager keypad module is inserted into the lock box and the agent enters his identification code and a code for the lock box The agent""s identification code may be stored in the pager keypad and transmitted to the central side computers. The lock box code can be entered manually by the agent. These codes are transmitted to the central site computer while releasing the key without verification and authorization from the central site computer.